airwalk wrote:Good job you guys...10 months is amazing! We used Deramaxx for Cinder's arthritis when the rymadol starting showing some of its side effects. The Deramaxx worked very well.

Oooh, I'll have to ask about that when we go in for the followup bloodwork. I already know tramadol is not going to be quite enough. I had her on it prior to starting the remadyl, and that is when we thought the decline was beginning.

Deramaxx worked well for Katy for quite some time. Once it started to lose its effectiveness, we went to Metacam. That's worked like a charm for a few years now and she's had no liver or kidney issues.

If the tramadol isn't strong enough, ask about gabapentin. That has worked *really* well for Katy, in addition to the Metacam and glucosamine supplements.

Never make someone a priority in your life when that someone treats you like an option.

Marinepits wrote:Deramaxx worked well for Katy for quite some time. Once it started to lose its effectiveness, we went to Metacam. That's worked like a charm for a few years now and she's had no liver or kidney issues.

If the tramadol isn't strong enough, ask about gabapentin. That has worked *really* well for Katy, in addition to the Metacam and glucosamine supplements.

Ok, so you have me off on a research project. Thanks so much for sharing...

Marinepits wrote:Deramaxx worked well for Katy for quite some time. Once it started to lose its effectiveness, we went to Metacam. That's worked like a charm for a few years now and she's had no liver or kidney issues.

If the tramadol isn't strong enough, ask about gabapentin. That has worked *really* well for Katy, in addition to the Metacam and glucosamine supplements.

I second that! We used Deramaxx for our Sophie (severe HD) and then Deramaxx with tramadol in the colder months. Her liver enzymes never once elevated but she got really excellent pain relief with it, and actually Deramaxx ended up being about 1/3 cheaper than Rimadyl. Bonus!

Marinepits wrote:Deramaxx worked well for Katy for quite some time. Once it started to lose its effectiveness, we went to Metacam. That's worked like a charm for a few years now and she's had no liver or kidney issues.

If the tramadol isn't strong enough, ask about gabapentin. That has worked *really* well for Katy, in addition to the Metacam and glucosamine supplements.

Ok, so you have me off on a research project. Thanks so much for sharing...

I take gabapentin & tramadol for peripheral neuropathy so if I can be of any help just let me know.

Trouble had her follow-up blood check for the liver enzymes while they were boarded Monday. Had a long chat with Dr F as we were one the way home yesterday.

Good news - the enzymes are down, just a couple of points out of normal range, indication they Remadyl was the cause.

Bad news - we cannot use NSAIDS as long term maintenance treatment

He suggested I consider the Science Diet j/d formula which is suppose to be equal to Remadyl in terms of effects on arthritis. I of course started with the ingredients, this diet's main ingredient is corn, so any of you fighting allergies, don't even consider it.

I'm back to research, starting with this thread where we discussed the glucosamine made without shellfish. I would really prefer not to keep her on Tramadol long term if I can find a way around it.

I'm sure you are very capable of doing the research, but if there is anything I can do, I'd be happy to do so. Kaiser was on Glucosamine and Chondroitin for over 7 years for his DDD and it worked well for him until the last year.

Shanna - My niece told me about this website: http://www.mercola.com and I found an article there about animal joint problems and arthritis. I don't know how advanced Trouble's arthritis is or if you've already tried these things, but I thought you might be interested.

I have four recommendations for treating and preventing your dog or cat from premature joint degeneration:

1.Chiropractic: If you have a pet that sustains an injury of any type, consider getting chiropractic care. Dog and cat chiropractic is an excellent and affordable way to realign the spine (and therefore the Central Nervous System.) Proper alignment prevents secondary compensation—meaning the body doesn’t shift into unhealthy positions to compensate for the injury, causing other problems down the road. 2.Massage: Pet massage is another good way to treat tissue inflammation and prevent secondary compensation in your animal’s body. There are some good books and videos out on how to do this yourself. Massage is also a nice way to bond with your pet and offers good opportunity to get familiar with where there could be tightness, inflammation or soreness. 3.Stretching: Stretching your pet is another beneficial practice for reducing degeneration and preventing soft tissue injury. It’s particularly helpful with older pets and competition/working dogs. 4.Supplements: Adding certain supplements to your pet’s diet can provide the raw materials for cartilage repair or maintenance, work with your holistic vet to determine a custom-made protocol for your pet’s specific musculoskeletal needs.

By implementing some common-sense measures in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and injury prevention, you can minimize your pet’s degenerative joint changes and help her live a long, healthy, happy and ACTIVE life.

Dog Gone Pain is on my research list, It was recommended by a member of the Tripawds group. I'm hoping to get to some of the research work tonight while I'm away from home and confined to a hotel room.

Our precious woke up this morning with a cough. Had to take her to the vet to be checked out. The Dx was bronchial infection - has antibiotics and cough meds for the next few days. If this doesn't kick butt by next week, she will have to go in for more in depth eval.